SEQUIM — A rivalry game broke out between the Sequim and Port Angeles boys basketball teams at Rick Kaps Gym.
The Wolves have dominated the rivalry in recent years, but the Roughriders made Sequim work to maintain its winning streak.
In fact, Port Angeles guard Grayson Peet hit a 3-pointer to tie the score at 46-46 with 2 minutes remaining in the game.
But Alex Barry responded with his own 3-pointer 23 seconds later to give the Wolves a 49-46 lead.
Vance Willis added three more points and Sequim held on to defeat the Roughriders 52-46.
Barry injured his knee early in Friday’s game and said the pain was on his mind before his go-ahead 3.
“I just saw that coach was calling the play . . . and when I got it, I just did what the play was supposed to be,” Barry said.
“It felt great . . . a lot of pain went away.”
Barry finished with a game-high 28 points, including four 3-pointers, 11 rebounds and five blocks.
Sequim coach Greg Glasser said the plan was to give Barry the ball and let him make a play.
“We have a lot of confidence in Alex,” Glasser said.
“Not only from that long range, but once he catches it there, he can do some things, too. He’s not just a shooter; he can put the ball on the ground and get to the hole.
“We thought that may work, and it did. He makes us look good.”
After four straight blowout wins over their rivals the past two seasons, the Wolves had to fight for the full 32 minutes to beat the Riders on Friday.
“We’ll take them any way we can get them,” Glasser said.
“[Port Angeles] battled hard tonight; give them a lot of credit.
“heir guys rose to the challenge, and I thought they played a great game.
“You know, down the stretch, we just made a couple more plays, and that was it.”
The Riders have now lost seven straight to the Wolves. Five of the previous six were by 15 points or more, and the last four have come by an average of 24 points.
After Port Angeles’ disappointing loss to Chimacum on Wednesday, first-year head coach Kasey Ulin said the way the Riders played against Sequim would reveal a lot about his team.
“I couldn’t be more proud of them. They played hard, they played well,” Ulin said.
“I’m really happy with where we are as a team.
“I think we took a big step in a positive direction. There are no good losses, but there were a lot of good things that came from that game.”
The Riders were especially tough on the boards, led by senior Hunter Hathaway and junior Lambros Rogers.
Ulin said Rogers took a step forward individually, playing through a twisted ankle and foul trouble to finish with 12 points, 11 rebounds and four steals.
Hathaway had 10 points, 11 rebounds and four assists.
“He’s a junkyard dog,” Ulin said. “He battles and battles.”
Ulin also was proud of Peet, the Riders’ sophomore starting point guard, who picked up his fourth foul late in the second quarter and didn’t foul out with his fifth foul until 12 seconds remained in the game.
And he nailed that game-tying trey that sent the Port Angeles corner of the gym into a frenzy.
“Man, that was something. That was great,” Ulin said. “You couldn’t hear anything.”
Ulin also has satisfied with how his team defended Barry, despite his 28 points.
Ulin singled out 5-foot-10 senior Nathan Angevine, who was chasing the taller Barry all over the court the most, from well beyond the 3-point line — which is within Barry’s range — to down in the post.
“He had to work for a lot of his points,” Ulin said.
“And, shoot, he’s a really good player; good players are going to score.
“And when he shoots it from Jefferson County, you have to give him credit.”
Glasser made sure to point out that Barry isn’t one-man team.
“We’re 10 [players] strong. We’re not just one guy,” he said.
“Everyone of our guys is important, all the way to the end of the bench.”
Barry was the only Sequim player to score in double figures, but throughout the game other players made crucial plays, such as a big 3-pointer by Dusty Bates or Willis attacking the hoop, which is what led to the final three points of the game.
“I just saw the middle started to open up as we pass and cut, and so after we get the ball moving around it really opens things up in the middle and allows people to drive,” Willis said.
Willis finished with eight points and four assists, Jackson Oliver had eight points and Bates had five points and three assists.
The Wolves (3-2, 7-5) conclude a tough week that took them to Belfair and Neah Bay before Friday’s game in Sequim with a 2-1 record.
They responded from Tuesday’s surprising loss to North Mason with big wins over area foes Neah Bay and Port Angeles.
This week is another three-gamer for Sequim, all on the road. First up is North Kitsap (3-1, 8-4) on Monday, then Olympic League 1A-leading Chimacum (2-0, 3-8) on Wednesday and Bremerton (1-2, 3-5) on Friday.
The Roughriders (1-3, 4-8) also play three this week, including important home games against Bremerton on Monday and Kingston (0-4, 4-7) on Wednesday.
The Knights and Buccaneers are two of three teams, along with North Mason (1-2, 5-5), that Port Angeles is battling for the Olympic League 2A’s fourth and fifth playoff berths.
“Realistically, we’re right where we need to be,” Ulin said. “Those head-to-head games will tell the story.
“What we did [against Sequim], we’ve seen what we can do, now we need to do it every night.”
Sequim 52, Port Angeles 46
Port Angeles 12 9 13 12— 46
Sequim 12 14 14 12— 52
Individual scoring
Port Angeles (46)
Peet 8, Hathaway 10, L. Angevine 3, Rogers 12, Janson 5, N. Angevine 8.
Sequim (52)
Barry 28, Willis 8, Oliver 8, Glasser 3, Bates 5, McConnaughey, Rutherford.
________
Sports Editor Lee Horton can be reached at 360-417-3525 or at lhorton@peninsuladailynews.com.
